Hi Folks,
I have monitored nesting success of Merlins for four previous years. This
year neat finding has been really slow. I know of a probable nest near
Freeville and a probable nest near the Ithaca swim club and a third in
Endicott. The adults are flying around the probably nest, but not yet
incubating. From other years my earliest incubation date has been 1 May with
some nests considerably later.
This year I have made probably 2-6 trips to every report of a Merlin
sighting, either those sent to me (at confergoldw...@aol.com) or posted to
eBird. Boy, either they are getting more sneaky, or my skill is dropping. Well,
my hearing isn't as good, and I can't get out at daylight, which I have found
to be the most fruitful time.
I have used the observations for science publications and popular science
education. I don't tell people about nests if the only access is on private
property, and I don't tell people about a nest until the nestlings are fairly
old, at which point the adults are very unlikely to desert. I have found nests
on the border of school grounds, in branches over roads and even highways, and
adjacent to really busy sidewalks. I followed one nest adjacent to another
conifer that was cut down as the adults fed the nestlings in order to make way
for the installation of an above ground swimming pool. And the young fledged. I
don't like to take any chances with disturbing nesting birds, but I think
Merlin are extraordinairly well adapted to humans.
I find it interesting that I have never found a really rural Merlin nest.
Surely nests in urban/suburban areas are morel likely to be ofund. But none
out of 24 in rural areas. Not sure why that should be.
Love to hear about any probable Merlin nest, thanks.
John Confer
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